Senior New Media major Nicole Mertz in collaboration with OutThere (Cedar Crest College’s GSA organization) will be hosting an event called the “Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Conference”. This event is going to be held in the South Annex next to Samuels Theater, main floor of the Tompkins College Center, on April 24 from 11 a.m.-1p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

“My goal for this conference is to make those who are unaware of these issues, recognize them, those who recognize them become familiar with them, and those who are familiar with them become more accepting of them.” said Mertz. “Without this openness and the willingness to learn, mental illness and suicide rates have the potential to continue to grow and will become an even greater problem.” According to National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, “more than 25 percent of college students have been diagnosed or treated by a professional for a mental health condition within the past year.”

Prior to the event, Mertz is selecting six prevalent mental illnesses that occur among young adults –Depression, Social Anxiety, Eating Disorders, disorders related to Obsessive-Compulsive behavior, Borderline Personality Disorder and Gender Dysphoria- and is creating a poster and short comic for each. The poster depicts a hypothetical stick-figure character and a specific demon for each disorder, the comics illustrates what could happen if the individual did not receive the resources needed when faced with one of these mental illnesses. Both the Posters and the comics are going to be on display during the event on April 24.

Social Anxiety Poster and Comic:

Mertz is hopeful the Conference will, “shine light on mental health and try to get people to rethink their opinion of different stigmas that are perceived of different mental illnesses. I also want people not to be afraid of seeking help and that there are resources available if needed.”

Mertz will also be presenting a trailer length video she wrote, filmed, directed and edited, which directly correlated with the themes of the event, highlighting suicide awareness and Gender Dysphoria. This video will be shown on April 30th during Defense Day.

Mertz will also be presenting her senior project during the Communication Department’s Defense day, which will be held on April 30.